A method for detaching a suspension assembly adapted to support a head staked to an actuator arm of an actuator block of a disc drive. The method includes the steps of inserting an expandable device having an expandable flanged end, expanding a dimension of the inserted flanged end and moving the device to release the suspension assembly staked to the actuator arm.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A method for detaching a suspension assembly adapted to support a head, staked to an actuator arm of an actuator block comprising the steps of: providing an expandable device including a flanged end having an insertion dimension; inserting the flanged end of the expandable device into a channel on the actuator arm; expanding the flanged end from the insertion dimension to an expanded dimension; and moving the expandable device in the expanded dimension after expanding the flanged end from the insertion dimension to the expanded dimension to force a stake from the actuator arm.
2. The method of claim 1 and further comprising: aligning the actuator arm relative to a reference member prior to the step of inserting the flanged end of the expandable device.
3. The method of claim 2 and further comprising: calibrating a position of the flanged end of the expandable device relative to the reference member; and advancing the flanged end along a stroke relative to the calibrated position of the flanged end relative to the reference member.
4. The method of claim 2 wherein the actuator block includes a plurality of actuator arms including a plurality of suspension assemblies staked thereto and further comprising the step of: selectively aligning the plurality of actuator arms relative to the reference member to remove the plurality of suspension assemblies staked to the plurality of actuator arms.
5. The method of claim 2 wherein the actuator block includes a plurality of actuator arms having a plurality of suspension assemblies staked thereto and further comprising the steps of: supporting the actuator block on a slide having a plurality of adjustable positions relative to the reference member; and moving the slide between the plurality of adjustable positions to remove the plurality of suspension assemblies from the plurality of actuator arms.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of expanding the flanged end includes inserting a rod through a channel of the expandable device to expand the flanged end.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the actuator arm includes opposed stakes having a gap between opposed ends of the opposed stakes and further comprising the step of: positioning the flanged end relative to the gap between the opposed stakes prior to expanding the flanged end.
8. The method of claim 7 and the step of positioning the flanged end relative to the gap further comprising the steps of: aligning the actuator arm relative to a reference member; and advancing the flanged end along a predetermined stroke to align the flanged end relative to the gap between the opposed stakes.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the expandable device includes at least one slit along a longitudinal length thereof and the step of expanding the flanged end comprises: expanding the at least one slit to expand the dimension of the flanged end.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of moving the expandable device moves the flanged end in a first direction and further comprising the step of: biasing the actuator arm in a second opposed direction to the first direction.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
May 29, 2001
August 10, 2004
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